


A Divergence of Paths

by artloife4142



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Skip Beat!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Treasure Planet Fusion, BeiFong's Police Force, Dark Moon Arc, Deviates From Canon, F/M, Fairies, Gangs of Republic City, Gen, KanaexChiori, KyokoxRen Week 2018, Pro-Bending, Republic City, Set Pre-Korra's Arrival to Republic City, Starmaids, mentions of assault
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-06
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-06-06 02:26:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15184709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artloife4142/pseuds/artloife4142
Summary: One-shot collection. Some prompts are from KyokoxRen Week 2018. Others I was most likely prompted by through my discord server. Latest update: Your Song Will Last & Phantom Encounter.





	1. By Way of a Simple Candle Trick

**Author's Note:**

> So when the list of 2018 KyokoxRen Week prompts were released, I was pondering another prompt I received from my Discord server. So, here's a prompt for a mashup of fandoms while utilizing the prompt 'Cry'. Hope you enjoy!

 

**_155 AG._ ** **Agni Kai Triad Territory. (16, 6)**

 

The very first time he sees her, she's sobbing, utterly inconsolable. 

 

He's out with a Beifong Police patrol at the time, because his father had wanted him to intern with the police force. The man believed it would do him good to garner a better sense of responsibility and maturity and well, Kuon couldn’t really disagree when he’d been suspended for brawling in the school corridors. The detective in charge of the patrol he's on is staking out an apartment complex for a potential drug bust, and Kuon had been commanded to check out a potential drop site, then report back. 

 

And this is how he comes across the alley he finds her in. She's wearing rags, and is so dirty her feet look more brown than the lightly tanned color of the rest of her. She's clutching at her face, and her sobbing turns into full on wails, and Kuon realizes he's very much out of his depth. 

 

He steps closer, keeping quiet so he doesn't startle her into fleeing, and sees a dark bruise across her cheek. A fierce anger surges through him. He shoves it down deep, and holds out a hand. 

 

“Little one, shhh, shhh, what's the matter?” he makes his voice as soft and as comforting as he can. 

 

She peers up at him with bright, gold eyes, from underneath a fringe of dirty, black hair, her chest heaving as she tries to speak between sobs, “My… my mom. She… Sh-She said I can't go back.”

 

Fresh tears run down her cheeks as her face crumples, “I’m sorry mommy!! I didn't mean to do it!!! I didn't mean it!!!!”

 

Kuon winces as she starts howling anew. He gets closer, and gently touches her balled up fists. The poor thing couldn't be older than six or seven. 

 

“I don't understand. What did your mommy not like?”

 

“That old guy showed me how to do the candle trick, so I did it for her. I thought she’d like it, tha-that'd she’d say good job. But she just got mad!! She got so maaaad!!!!”

 

She reaches out blindly and Kuon tugs her closer so she can wrap her small hands around his neck. He makes more soothing noises, but his heart drops to his stomach when she just keeps crying and saying sorry. 

 

Footsteps echo throughout the alley behind him, and Kuon whirls, pulling up blocks of earth for defense as he tucks the little girl in closer to him. She gasps, her tears suddenly stopping as she stares at him, then at the detective that’d come across them.

 

Ping puts up both hands, “Hey, woah, chill out there kiddo. Me and Mo just thought they’d gotten ya. What’s happenin?”

 

Kuon sighs, dispersing the blocks of earth. The little girl stares with her mouth hanging open, as he releases his hold on the earth and stands back up. “Found this little munchkin here. We need to help her.”

 

“Ah shit,” Ping groans, and rubs the back of his neck, “Alright, alright. We can end this stakeout early tonight; that’s what we were probably gonna have to do anyway. We can take her back to headquarters, see what we can find out.”

 

Kuon lets out a small sigh of relief, and the little girl curls her fists tight into his jacket. She shivers in the cool evening air, and curls into him tighter, her wide eyes blinking up at the pair of them. Ping offers a small smile, which at least makes his wrinkled face appear a bit more friendly. This seems to go over well, and she relaxes, one fist uncurling from his jacket collar to give Ping a wave.

 

“And what’s your name, munchkin? We can’t keep callin ya that anyhow.”

 

The girl blinks at Ping as he asks that, then says quietly, “Kyoko. I’m Kyoko. Will you take me to my mommy?”

 

Ping’s gaze darts between the two of them, his brow furrowing as he takes in her ragged state, and Kuon’s troubled face.

 

“Well, we’re Republic City’s finest. If we couldn’t help ya, that wouldn’t be our motto.”

 

**…**

 

**_155 AG._ ** **Fuwa Family Inn and Restaurant. (16, 6)**

 

The second time he sees her, she’s much cleaner, and she’s laughing. Her hair is even pulled back into a bun with a pretty butterfly clip, and she's wearing a matching skirt. An involuntary smile crosses Kuon’s face when he looks over at where she’s playing, in a corner of the Fuwa Restaurant where she isn't disturbing the guests. He’s distracted from watching her when Ping claps him on the shoulder as they settle in to eat their dinner. 

 

“Thought it might perk you up to see how that little munchkin was doin. What better place to celebrate our awesome arrests of those Agni Kai Triad jackasses, than at the place of the family that took her in?”

 

Kuon has to agree, “Yeah, you’re right. I’ve been worried about her since that night, and this was a nice surprise.”

 

It  _ is _ awesome to have finally arrested the jackasses that had been peddling the fire-poppy drugs, and seeing Kyoko way better off than when they’d first met, is icing on the cake.

 

“Any word of her mom though?”

 

Ping’s cheerful countenance darkens, “Mo searched like a madwoman, but all she found in our files were some references to Saena Mogami being called in as a lawyer for some clients. Seems she was involved in some take-downs of Terra Triad perps. That’s all Mo found... except for one other arrest report.”

 

Ping swigs some of his drink and then folds his arms over the table. Kuon looks over at Kyoko, then back up at the detective, “Her mom in jail?”

 

“Nope,” says Ping, a discomfited look crossing his face, “But seven years ago, an arrest report was filed for aggravated sexual assault. Saena Mogami was the victim.”

 

Kuon hisses out a shocked breath, and his gaze swings back to Kyoko. She’s now happily playing with a little boy, and appears to be making up a story by using shadow puppets. That information...that makes things a lot more difficult.

 

“We’re not going to be able to find her mom, are we?” asked Kuon.

 

“We’re trying to be optimistic, but...this is a big city. And that’s just assuming that her mother stuck around. Kyoko said she couldn’t ever go back, but we went back ourselves just to try to find her mother, and their place was empty. Just...barren. Either Mogami found work elsewhere, or she can hide really, really well. I just... knowing what I know about people in Mogami’s situation, my instincts are telling me that Mogami flew the coop. She waited just long enough...and then she moved on.”

 

“Spirits above,” Kuon mumbles as he watches Kyoko. He pays her more attention when a sly look crosses her face. The little boy has blown out the lamps they’d been using to do their shadow puppets, and as Kuon watches, Kyoko shakes her hands, then snaps her fingers. 

 

The lamps flare to life again, and the little boy yelps, and scrambles away from them. The diners that had watched the display laugh, and politely clap for her efforts. The boy though, scowls and stomps off. Kuon laughs with the rest, as it was an entertaining show. But, what he finds most impressive, is Kyoko’s control over her firebending. That move must be the candle trick she’d mentioned. He knew a certain school in the outskirts of Republic City that taught that. It could be where she’d gotten it from. 

 

When Ping speaks up again, his tone is carefully measured, “Hey, kiddo, don’t let this get you down, alright? This kind of thing happens. The Fuwas were able to take her, and she seems happy here.”

 

Kuon sighs, but acknowledges that Ping is most likely right, “I know...I get it. I just don’t like it.” 

 

But what he does have, is an idea.

 

**…**

 

**_161 AG_ ** **. Republic Bay Academy for Bending. (22, 12)**

 

The third time he sees her, he can barely recognize her. He’s visiting his father’s office at the academy, and had gotten distracted by the bending practice in the courtyard, as he typically did. The Bay Academy is famous because all forms of bending are taught within its walls. Though the Airbending Acolytes could only learn the martial forms and the spiritual aspects, it’s still a well-regarded path of the academy. Tenzin himself visits to tutor them and recruit acolytes to the Air Temple island upon their program completion. 

 

On this particular day, Kuon and his father are discussing some of the newest pro-bending rules over lunch. This is really just a ruse for Kuu to harp on his favorite thing that bugs him about Kuon being a pro-bender, which is the fact that Kuon's team manager demands that he and his teammates have stage names.

 

"Dad, I promise you, Yashiro just wants us to be known for our pro-bending, and judged accordingly. It's not a slight to the Academy or the Hizuri name."

 

Kuu grumbles some more about upstart managers, and Kuon sighs. When the windows of Kuu’s office rattle as a fireblast goes by, Kuon and Kuu pause, blink at each other, then set down their chopsticks.

 

“Does that happen often?” Kuon asks.

 

His father sighs, “More than I would like. Damn that Toza for stuffing me next to the courtyard.”

 

Kuon snickers, and gets up to look out the window. As he does so, he catches sight of a group of young teenagers sparring. One lithe individual jumps into the air and flips, a plume of fire exiting from their feet as they kick out. The earthbender that’s defending has no chance, they’re far too slow, and the blast knocks the poor guy clean off his feet. 

 

Kuon winces in sympathy. The slowness of his own earthbending reaction time is what drew him to pro-bending styles in the first place. He’s lost one too many fights to firebenders himself, to ever be satisfied with the slower, traditional earthbending styles. 

 

Kuon watches in admiration as the group of firebenders coordinate quickly, and hem in the defenders. To his trained eye, it’s clear that the earthbending group has too little leadership to keep up with the deftness of the firebending team. When the firebenders next attack, the earthbenders go hard on the defensive in response. He  _ tsks _ in disappointment, and is startled by his father’s chuckle.

 

“If you were part of that earthbending team, what would you do differently?”

 

Kuon ponders that for a second, internally cheering as the same lithe individual ducks a boulder, and sweeps their leg low. The resulting flames that flare out across the ground are precisely controlled, and powerful. He smiles a little as the opponents duck out of the way, yelping as they're singed. 

 

“I’d use small, powerful jabs. They’re wasting too much energy on big boulders and big movements. The firebenders are too quick, especially that little munchkin that has those nice, controlled kicks.”

 

“Ah yes, that’d be that girl you recommended.”

 

Kuon doesn’t register the comment for a long moment, as he’s still focused on the match in the courtyard. Said munchkin had just fallen to the ground, twisting on their back to pop back up, flames incinerating chunks of earth in a protective maneuver that Kuon is honestly surprised to see in someone so young. He’s watched pro-benders pull it off in his matches before, but this is a young group, not even out of their teens. 

 

Then the words hit him, “Wait...that munchkin, that’s Kyoko? From way back?”

 

He stares at his father in disbelief, but Kuu only smirks, “It sure is. You’ve a good eye, my boy. She’s never missed a day of lessons. And she often wins scholarships, so she’s never had to pay full tuition. She’s determined, that one. And a helluva hard worker.”

 

Kuon stares back out at the courtyard blankly, barely realizing that the match has ended. Sure, she'd left a lasting impression, as that experience had been one of the few things he'd personally been involved with, as an intern for Beifong's Police Force. After learning what he had back then, he’d recommended her to attend the academy. But other than making sure she’d actually taken the entrance exam, he'd not thought of her since. He’d just wanted to give her a place to practice - one free of judgement where she could flourish.   

 

”Spirits above,” he mumbles, admiring.

 

He sees the resemblance now though, as the group passes by the window, heading down the path to the locker rooms. They're young and carefree, laughing and chatting with each other as they walk. And sure enough, there she goes, with those brilliant gold eyes, black hair pulled into a bun, with the same dainty features. 

 

Kuu smacks his back, startling him, “What d’ya say we go spar, hm? I’ll knock ya flat on your ass, just like old times!”

 

Kuon is thoroughly distracted from staring out the window by this challenge.

 

“You’re on, old man!”

 

**…**

 

**_165 AG._ ** **Republic City Pro-Bending Arena. (26, 16)**

 

The first time she sees him, it’s during the Pro-Bending Championship Tournament Quarterfinals. The Fuwas had won tickets, and Kyoko had never been so excited as she'd been when they'd said she could go. They'd first offered to take Shotaro with them, but as was typical, he’d blown them off for some rally or the other. 

 

The announcer had been spitting out the play by plays of the Golden Temple Tigerdillos versus the Bau Ling BuzzardWasps, when Kyoko had felt the people around her tense in anticipation. She's mostly ignored the announcer, trying to keep her eye on the action below, but a big dustup from the two earthbenders just then disrupts the view, and she strains to hear what's going on. 

 

When she hears the announcer say it’s going to tiebreak for the last round, she lets out a sigh of relief. The two teams had been really evenly matched, and she'd not wanted the match to end just yet. When the dustup clears, she sees the earthbenders step onto the middle platform, and Kyoko hurtles herself to the railing in front of her seat so she can get a better view. 

 

There’s something about that Tigerdillo earthbender, something so familiar… When the bell rings out, she keeps her eyes glued to him. The words of the announcer fade in and out as she watches. 

 

“And Ren, in his trademark move, creates a shield of revolving discs, can Shan of the BuzzardWasps get past his defense?!”

 

Kyoko watches Ren fling out discs as he keeps on his toes, continuously pulling in more discs so the shield is able to maintain the coverage he wants. Kyoko studies his footwork and is reminded of the boxing style that had been part of her training when she was younger. The Bay Academy employed all sorts of martial artists and fighting instructors, so each pupil could figure out their best fighting style, and Kyoko is unused to seeing a boxing style being utilized by an earthbender. 

 

Ren’s opponent in fact, is hurling more discs, more frequently, trying to catch him off guard. But Ren stays calm under the pressure, twisting and turning to avoid them, and it's his fantastic footwork that's slowly gaining him the upper hand. Shan tries to trip him up by pulling up earth from the platform and shoving it at Ren, instead of throwing discs. But Ren avoids that as well, and so smoothly that it looks effortless. Kyoko has never before been so jealous of someone else's skill. 

 

“Shan is looking more and more tired, and oh would you look at that! Shan pulls off a desperate barrage that has Ren scrambling to maintain his cover!!” bellows the announcer and almost as one, the audience gasps, as they watch Ren lose disc after disc of his shield. 

 

Quick as can be though, Ren ducks the last of Shan's barrage, and Kyoko stares in open-mouthed amazement as he narrowly pulls up and balances himself, legs spread wide in a sturdy stance. Ren pulls multiple discs from the platform from either side of himself and in one deft movement, pulls them back in tight, mimicking body armor. With a loud shout, he rapidly begins firing them towards Shan. 

 

“Shan ducks one! Two! Three!! And heeee's off the platform!!! Shan is knocked off, unable to escape Ren's last attack! What power!!! What persistence!!! Match to the Golden Temple Tiiiigerdiiillos!!! By way of one breathtaking tiebreak, the Tigerdillos advance to the semifinals!!!!” The announcer can't seem to stop himself from listing off all their many accomplishments as the Tigerdillo team congratulate each other. 

 

Kyoko is surrounded by a ferociously cheering crowd, children are screaming, and Kyoko finds herself chattering excitedly to the Fuwas.

 

“Did you see that?! Did you see that footwork?! Sifu Tenzin couldn't have done better! Oh spirits, that was fantastic!!! Did you see-?!!”

 

She babbles the entire way home, awed and amazed at the skill of the pro-bender named Ren of the Golden Temple Tigerdillos. She is so utterly amazed in fact, that when there's a chance to meet the Tigerdillos after their semifinal match (that obviously, they win), she jumps on it. She waits eagerly for the others to be preoccupied by their fans when they are all outside the arena for a meet and greet, so she can speak to Ren alone. 

 

He raises an eyebrow when he catches sight of her, the rest of his features stoic. Kyoko shoots him her best smile anyway. (This was the smile that had more than once gotten her out of trouble with her teachers). When this inspires no reaction, Kyoko's enthusiasm takes a nosedive. Ever a staunch fan of pro-bending, she muscles past it, and speaks up. 

 

“Your footwork is some of the best I've ever seen. Your quickness?! It’s so cool!!”

 

“Thank you for the compliment,” he replies, and begins to turn away. 

 

She grabs at his jacket sleeve to stop him, “Seriously! Were you taught at the Republic Bay Academy?! You remind me so much of Sifu Kuu's style! Well, you're way quicker, but that stance, in the quarterfinals, with the knockout! That was totally something he would have done!”

 

He pauses, and looks back at her thoughtfully, “You have a good eye. Not even my team members caught that.”

 

Kyoko laughs, a little embarrassed as she releases his sleeve, “Ah, I like to study a lot of styles. You transition so smoothly between them, I just found it incredibly impressive.”

 

He shrugs, “Practice makes perfect. Pro-bending is great for it. You could always find yourself a team, if you're really so interested.”

 

Kyoko blinks, never having thought of that, “Really? I could?! Really?!!”

 

Ren's face grows amused, “Yes, really.”

 

“Even the Tigerdillos?!”

 

“Ah…” Kyoko studies him eagerly, not realizing the apprehension on his face. 

 

“Because I would love to be on a team with you!! I'd learn so much! That'd be the best! We could-”

 

Ren scoffs, cutting her off, “Look, you've got great enthusiasm, you've got guts. But, please. Us Tigerdillos, we're not just playing a game here. If you want to be champions, it takes a lot of focus, a great deal of energy, and some serious commitment. Don't look to join up with us, you wouldn't suit; you're ten years too young to take this seriously.”

 

He walks away, and Kyoko is left standing there, staring after him. She can't remember the last time someone was so dismiss-no wait. Yes she can. This was like Shotaro all over again. Shotaro had  _ never _ believed that she was serious about pursuing bending. He was  _ always _ so infuriatingly dismissive.

 

A scowl crosses Kyoko's features as her blood boils.  _ Ten years too young?? Hah.  _

 

They'd see. She'd show them. She  _ would.  _ Even if it took her putting her own team together, she'd be damned if she'd let jackasses like those two dictate what she could do. 

 

_ Just watch me Ren. Watch me.  _

 

He'd regret ever saying those words. 

**…**


	2. A Curious Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Don't think I don't know what you're doing."  
> "I've no idea what you mean, Mogami-san."
> 
> Canon-divergent one-shot from the last page of Act 71. For Days 3&4 of KyokoRen Week 2018. Prompts are Propriety/Boldness.

“Tsuruga-san’s Katsuki-”

 

“I can do it.” 

 

“I’m so glad!” 

 

Kyoko and Ren shared a relieved smile, before she turned her attention back to the boiling pot on the stove. Ren watched her as he leaned against his kitchen counter, enjoying the feeling of sweet domesticity that swept over him and made his breath catch in his throat. She was humming softly as she worked, all signs of her previous agitation long gone. 

 

On the one hand, Ren was glad that she was that comfortable in his presence. But as a hot-blooded young man (or so LME’s President had called him on occasion), he did wish for...well, any sign that she was as affected by him as he was by her. In all fairness, he at least acknowledged that he was attracted to others. Kyoko didn’t so much. With the exception of one...idiotic boy, Ren had no idea what she liked or what attracted her. 

 

His contented mood disappeared as his mind turned to Fuwa Sho. How could she have possibly liked such a jackass? They said young love was dumb, and blind, but having witnessed the fallout himself, Ren couldn't help the concerns he had over that relationship.

 

Ren, since he'd remembered what he had about his days in Kyoto when he was younger, had begun to think that Kyoko must have been pretty isolated as a kid. Who else would return to a riverside in a forest day after day, just because they’d found a friend there? Most kids would have forgotten a couple times, at least. But they’d not missed seeing each other for even a single day back then. Ren could understand now that it must have been because the both of them had been desperately lonely.

 

His thoughts drifted back to the present when Kyoko smiled at him and held out a couple bowls filled with food.

 

“Dinner is served, Tsuruga-san!”

 

He smiled back at her and they settled in to eat how they had the day before, in his living room while they watched TV. His curiosity about her, and about how her issues conflated with her trouble with Fuwa and his betrayal, didn't leave him alone all throughout dinner. How much had those issues actually affected her own perception of simple things like romance and attraction? Was that part of the Fuwa problem? Or was it something simpler? 

 

These thoughts bothered him, and bothered him, until they grated on his nerves. His mind kept going back to the moment where she’d been in his arms, despite the mantra of  _ leave it alone, leave it alone  _ he was forcing himself to focus on. It was beyond aggravating.

 

But she’d never even been kissed! She was sixteen for God’s sake. How had she never been kissed? He groaned softly as he dried a dish while they stood at his sink, cleaning up after they'd eaten.

 

“Tsu-Tsuruga-san? Is everything ok? There’s not that many dishes left, if you want to go rest up, I can finish this.”

 

“Oh, this is no trouble. Actually, I was just remembering a silly reaction of yours from earlier, when you fell and I had to catch you. It distracted me,” he sent her one of his best smiles, and had to smother a snort at her affronted face. 

 

“But of course I'd react differently than what you're used to,” she countered gracefully, “You were acting so strangely, and being so forward. That type of behavior is inappropriate you know.”

 

“I’m surprised to hear you say that Mogami-san. You’re a teenager in high school. Wouldn't it be more likely for you to have seen couples behave like that, rather than in a more mature and reserved manner? Or do you think it’s inappropriate for couples to show affection or attraction to each other?”

 

Kyoko’s face flushed and Ren suddenly realized that maybe he should have stopped while he was ahead. 

 

“Of course I don’t! If people like each other, that kind of thing is fine! You’re twisting my words! Katsuki just shouldn’t have acted like that with Mizuki; it was inappropriate!”

 

“Ah, but they do like each other. They are attracted to each other.”

 

“You're deliberately being difficult now. They’re supposed to be more reserved is the point!” 

 

Ren bit his tongue on his first response. This was going nowhere. Clearly, a different strategy would be required.

 

“Sure, that’s true. But your reaction shouldn’t have been what Mizuki did either. It was overdone, even melodramatic one could say. It was like you’d never even experienced attraction or something,” he baited her.

 

Kyoko was beautiful when she was riled up, he observed, as she hurled her sponge into the sink and turned to face him directly. 

 

“You’ve no idea what she’d do! You’ve never been a teenage girl around a man she likes, or, or is attracted to! You’ve no idea how that makes us feel,” Kyoko’s breath huffed out of her in a clear sign of exasperation. 

 

Ren sat down the silverware he’d been drying, and tossed the towel onto the counter in an effort to keep his focus on the point he was trying to make. 

 

“Fine then. You’re a teenage girl. Fuwa approaches you, what do you do?” He raised an eyebrow when she just gaped at him. She sputtered for a second, before she snapped back.

 

“That’s got nothing to do with this!”

 

“Doesn’t it? Didn’t you like him? Weren’t you attracted?”

 

“The point is,” she hissed, “That if he even dared to try it now, I’d spit on him if he did! That playboy!”

 

Ren studied her for a second as her fists curled and uncurled as she tried to gather her composure.

 

“Alright, fine. You’re in school and someone approaches you. They say you’re pretty, or that they’re attracted to you. What do you do?”

 

“Frankly, I’d wonder if they had eyes,” Kyoko replied matter-of-factly. Ren groaned a little and pinched the bridge of his nose.

 

He turned to face her fully, “Mogami-san, I assure you, I have eyes. You're pretty.”

 

She let out a small scoff, and looked away back to the dishes in the sink, then said, “We're not playing Mizuki and Katsuki anymore, you don't have to waste such sweet words on me.”

 

Ren’s sharp eyes caught her white-knuckled grip on the cup she was rinsing, and it clattered onto the countertop when she set it down. His lips curled slightly, but he quashed the satisfaction that flared within him as he noticed her departure from her typical meticulous care. Instead, he affected a more light-hearted tone of voice. 

 

“I'm well aware that we're not currently playing those silly roles. That's not how true, real-life attraction and romance works in any case.”

 

He paused as he noticed she had stopped rinsing her dish. Aggravatingly, he found he couldn't pull his eyes away from her prettily manicured fingernails for a long moment. He loudly cleared his throat as he watched soap suds drip down her hands, and forced himself to look away. 

 

“In reality, no teacher worth their salt would ever seriously consider a romantic relationship with a teenager,” Ren said, unable to stop himself from glancing at her again from the corner of his eye. She stayed silent though, so he continued. 

 

“Isn't that the truth, Mogami-san? And even without taking into consideration the practicalities, what teenager could genuinely appeal to someone so much older than them? Makes no sense, right?”

 

She had a ferocious scowl on her face as she stared down at the little pile of dishes in the sink. Her voice was tart when she replied, “I didn't expect you to be so close-minded Tsuruga-san, just yesterday you said-”

 

She stopped abruptly, and tightly pressed her lips together. Ren prodded her some more; he couldn’t even stop himself at this point. 

 

“What's that Mogami-san? You don't agree? Now that's surprising. You of all people, you who’s cursed such things before, you don't agree?” Something in his tone of voice must have indicated that he wasn't being sincere in his questioning, because she shot him a nasty glare.

 

“Tsuruga-san, as the both of us are aware that you're just poking fun at me, at least do me the respect of not being two-faced.”

 

Oh, this was too good. She could dismiss the topic however much she liked, but she clearly cared enough about it to get riled up over his questioning. Ren perhaps should have held back some, and been a little nicer, but this was way more entertaining of a reaction than he'd ever anticipated. “Mogami-san, how did you jump to that conclusion?”

 

She huffed, shooting him an incredulous look. “If teenagers don't appeal to those older than them, then it’s ridiculous for you to say I'm pretty and actually mean it.”

 

“Mogami-san, I wasn't talking about  _ us. _ Katsuki and Mizuki are unrealistic. I wasn't commenting on us.”

 

Ren bit his tongue so the amusement he felt didn't betray him, when she just stared at him, speechless. He must not have been successful in hiding that, because after a moment, her eyes narrowed. 

 

“Don't think I don't know what you're doing.”

 

He raised an eyebrow, showing blank surprise as best he could. 

 

“I've no idea what you mean, Mogami-san. I was talking of Mizuki and Katsuki, and highlighting the fact that we’re different from them. With such a comparison, surely my honesty in complimenting you is apparent.”

 

“You’re trying to fluster me. You think what happened earlier when I fell was funny, and you want to provoke a similar reaction,” Kyoko said, her tone of voice teetering on the precipice of true fury. 

 

Ren wasn't going to have that; not if he could help it. “That would be cruelly calculating on my part. Do you truly believe I'm capable of such a thing?”

 

There was a loaded silence. 

 

“If there’s one thing I can always trust myself to believe, it’s that men will always use women to boost their own egos,” she said curtly, turning to face him as she wiped her hands dry on her skirt. 

 

The silence between them turned icy, as Ren did his best to bite back furious words and Kyoko stared him down, daring him to object. 

 

Ren cracked first. He rolled his shoulders, trying to shrug away his anger, but that didn't really help. The fierce look on Kyoko’s face made it feel like all of his pent-up frustration might crush him under its weight, if he didn’t respond to such a bold accusation. He stepped closer to her, not able to help himself.

 

“My ego? You think this is about my ego?” He asked her softly. 

 

Kyoko stepped back, and the first signs of unease crossed her features. Before she could scurry away, he placed his hand on the counter next to her, and leaned in. She threw him a dirty look as she realized she couldn't duck away from him, crowded as she was against the counter now.  

 

“If this was about my ego, I wouldn’t have brought up how Katsuki and Mizuki were different. My proof, Mogami-san,” he drawled her name, mocking her typical politeness, and she flinched.

 

“My proof that this isn’t about my ego, is that you betrayed how you felt when you let that cup clatter onto the counter.”

 

Kyoko stiffened, and tried to pull away again, but Ren just crowded in closer, “It surprised you that I said something like that, and you tried to brush it off. But it excited you too.”

 

“That’s your ego talking!” She snapped back. Ren smirked.

 

“Liar.”

 

She went to protest again, but Ren talked over her, “You know, I would have just let it go if not for that little tell of yours. Most girls are at least used to being complimented, and brushing it off if it comes from someone that’s just a co-worker, or a senpai. And I would have just let it happen too.”

 

He paused, letting the implication fully sink in. A deep blush crawled across her face, and Ren watched with keen interest as she looked everywhere but at him. He wondered again what could possibly appeal to her, what she could possibly find attractive in another. Even as he thought this, he realized just how much his temper had gotten away from him, and shame washed over him. 

 

Kyoko stared back up at him in surprise as he stepped back away from her.

 

“I'm so sorry. That was… I mean, well. I'm really sorry for being such an ass just now,” Ren said softly.

 

“I...I apologize as well, Tsuruga-san. I shouldn't have overreacted,” Kyoko replied, her voice halting and unsure. Ren winced.

 

“No, you were right to. Even though I knew you were inexperienced with this, I still acted like a jackass.” 

 

She was well within her rights to take him to task for his behavior-he deserved it in fact, but instead there was another long silence. Ren dared to glance back at her, and saw her clutching at her skirt hem, her fists curled tight as she scowled at the floor. 

 

“Inexperienced? Well _ excuuuuse me _ for having other priorities,” she muttered darkly.

 

It was such an honest reaction, Ren couldn’t help the snort of laughter that escaped him. She transferred her scowl to him, and he held up his hands in an apologetic fashion.

 

“No really, I’m very sorry. Even when I tell you you’re pretty, and mean it, you’ve every right to handle that as you like. I shouldn’t judge.”

 

She blinked at him, her scowl disappearing, then wetted her lips nervously.

 

“Tsuruga-san, I promise, I don't need silly words like that. I know I'm not attractive.”

 

“Mogami-san, I dare you, in fact, I double dare you, to prove to me that you’re right and I’m wrong.” Clearly she wasn't going to take him at his word that he thought she was pretty. 

 

“Tsuruga-san!!” she screeched, “That’s! That’s improper! No senpai should-!” 

 

He stared at her, unimpressed as she floundered about, and his fingers tapped a staccato beat on the counter as he waited her out. When she just stood there, sputtering, he shook his head, “You know, that does make more sense. Even when you’re at the age you are, when you prioritize other things, of course a discussion like this would make you uncomfortable. It might even be scary. That’s alright too, you know.”

 

Oh that made her angry. Ren's lips curled as he saw her eyes sparking with her temper. Her anger was better than her being uncomfortable. He’d take that over her discomfort any day.

 

“You want to prove to me that I'm wrong?” She pulled her school shirt up, stopping at her midriff. She pointed at her hip, then snarled, “I dare you Tsuruga-san. Touch my hip. Wrap your fingers around my hip, and prove it.”

 

Ren's jaw dropped in shock, blindsided that she’d called his bluff. He pushed aside his rather telling reaction, and his eyes narrowed in thought. He had a feeling she wasn't nearly as unaffected as she was trying to appear. He stepped closer and when she took a half step back, he sighed, and shook his head. 

 

“You  _ are _ scared.”

 

“No I'm not!” Her voice rose in pitch, and Kyoko hastily cleared her throat, and then put her nose in the air. 

 

“I'm proving you wrong is all; I'm not attractive. This silly nonsense is just that, silly and-”

 

Honestly, there was only so much self control he had left, and that was a  _ very dainty _ and attractive hip bone. Before she could rush off screaming about impropriety, he reached out and grabbed hold of her left arm, pulled her close, and wrapped his fingers tight around her right hip bone. He hadn't expected it, except he had, and sure enough, she squeaked when his fingertips dug into that fleshy part of her.

 

“What did you want this to accomplish Mogami-san? Really? The hip bone of all spots? When it’s such a…  _ tender  _ and delicate part of you?” Ren asked softly, his thumb digging in a little harder. He lost his last shred of dignity and good sense when his thumb slipped beneath the waistband of her school skirt. He inhaled sharply through his nose when he realized his thumb rested right on the waistband of the undergarments she was wearing beneath it. 

 

They were both surprised at the sound that came out of Kyoko's mouth then. She let out a soft exhalation from deep in her throat, and Ren’s gaze snapped to hers, a shocked breath leaving him. They both froze, this dare having gone incredibly further than either had anticipated. 

 

“I believe I’ve proved my point,” Ren said with remarkable aplomb, in his opinion. That his voice shook a little bit meant nothing. Nothing. They blinked at each other dumbly, and Ren had no idea why she wasn’t shoving him away yet, and scolding him about inappropriate behavior.

 

Kyoko swallowed, her voice raspy as she spoke, “Nothing’s been proven, other than that I might be a little ticklish there.”

 

Was she seriously just going to stand there and pretend this wasn't affecting her like it was him? Ren felt another swell of frustration wash over him about this, but didn't dare say anything to bring it to her attention. He instead reinforced his earlier point. 

 

“I didn't say that you were pretty because I wanted your reaction to boost my own ego. And I didn’t say it to fluster you. I was highlighting that your overreaction from earlier might be a little off base, and wanted to use your own reaction to a sincere compliment as an example. So it’s because you’re inexperienced. So what? There's nothing wrong with that!”

 

She glared at him as she shifted some, and Ren realized abruptly that whatever kind of undergarments she was wearing, they were incredibly silky.  _ Damn it, damn it, damn it,  _ he began to chant to himself as he cursed the ludicrous situation they’d put themselves in. The fleeting thought that they were playing a curious game of chicken ran through his mind, and he released an aggravated hiss of breath. 

 

Then she shifted again, and his fingers reflexively tightened on her hip bone and she made the sound again. A fierce want surged through him, and he ached to replace the thumb currently digging into her hip with his lips and tongue, so he could suck a mark into her skin.  _ What sound would she make? Would she squirm? Would she bruise easily enough that she'd be reminded of it every time the waistband of her skirt would brush against it?  _ He pressed his tongue hard to the back of his teeth, his pulse pounding in his ears. 

 

_ Damn it, damn it, damn it,  _ this mantra swirled about in his head as soft, warm skin trembled beneath his touch. Ren didn't even notice the reflexive squeeze of his hand on her wrist when he noticed Kyoko was staring down at his hand on her hip, mesmerized. He pressed just a smidgen harder, and she squirmed. 

 

His ironclad self-control nearly broke right then. Instead, with great effort, Ren peeled his fingers off of her, one by one, and stepped back. This had gotten entirely too out of hand. It was time to reassess, and think up an escape plan. Damn it, he was behaving precisely like the people he'd warned her against. He took another step back, inhaling deeply to get his brain to start working again. 

 

“Clearly, we aren’t going to leave here in agreement. Shall we shelve this discussion and reopen it at a later time?” 

 

Ren thought his question was reasonable, but Kyoko simply gaped at him in astonishment as she gently tugged her shirt back down. He absently rubbed his fingertips together from where his hands had fallen to his sides, still feeling the sensations her soft warmth had inspired. Her gaze slowly traveled downwards, and he stopped what he was doing to stuff his hands into his pockets. 

 

Her eyes flitted back up to his face, and caught his. Sparks of realization flared to life between them, and Ren hurriedly took another step back away from her. All it would take from her was the right question and-

 

“Clever, very clever Tsuruga-san.”

 

Ren swallowed hard at the huskiness of her voice as she studied him, her eyes blazing with a fierce determination. 

 

“You apologized earlier, called yourself a jackass even. But you didn't just now,” she said softly, “Are you trying to play this off as us just getting a little worked up over a disagreement?”

 

Ren stepped back as she stepped forward, feeling abruptly off-balanced at the look in her eye. She knew. She had to know. She'd only gained an inkling of understanding of exactly how much power she could wield over him, but that knowledge gave her a confidence that was evident in just the slightest curl of her lip.

 

Kyoko stepped closer, then asked, “You were telling the truth, weren’t you?”

 

Ren froze, the hairs on the back of his neck lifting as cold dread trickled down his spine.

 

“You...even your behavior earlier makes sense now. You were trying to brush it aside, and bury the truth. You  _ are _ attracted to me, aren't you? You goading me like this, you just couldn't help yourself, could you? Anytime I tried to dismiss what you were saying, you deliberately tried to bait me into proving you right.”

 

He swallowed hard, and looked away.

“Mogami-san, really, I was just being an asshole and-”

 

“Tell me Tsuruga-san, which bothers you more? That you're attracted to me? Or that you don't want to be?”

 

His mouth went dry as her measured gaze demanded honesty from him. He wanted to speak, to respond, but he knew she'd turn away, dismiss him outright, if he couldn't find the right words. She would weigh him, weigh what he would say, and find him wanting, and damned if he knew if he could withstand that.

 

“Mogami-san, I,” he wetted his lips nervously, “Mogami-san, I apologize.”

 

Ren shifted his gaze to the kitchen tile, the heavy silence making it hard to even think straight. 

 

“I asked you a question,” she said, and he flinched as her voice broke the quiet of the room. Ren wondered where she got the confidence that he would answer. 

 

“If you're dishonest now, it will be truly cruel of you.”

 

Her soft reproach made Ren look her way again, and his heart leapt into his throat at the bitter set to her mouth. He wondered if his silence was as damning as it actually felt. When she stepped forward, and stared him down, he found his words again. 

 

“You're right, about everything.”

 

He tried to say something else other than that, but it was like his throat closed up after that singular, damning confession, and there was nothing he could do about it. When another heavy, oppressive silence fell, and she said nothing, Ren felt the first stirrings of true panic. He had to say something, he had to. 

 

“Look, attraction just happens sometimes, alright? If it makes you uncomfortable, you've every right to completely disregard what I just said. I’m not going to do anything that you’ll consider inappropriate, or improper. I mean, things got out of hand just now, but that’s totally my fault. I’m so sorry.”

 

He cleared his throat when she just studied him, her face unreadable. 

 

“I, of course I shouldn't have brought any of this up, and that's my mistake. My… Of course if you're uncomfortable, I don't want my attraction towards you, to be the cause behind that discomfort. It’s not, precisely, that I wish to not be… attracted exactly… “ he fumbled for words as he tried to explain. 

 

“It’s alright.” 

 

Ren looked over at her, surprised by her soft tone of voice. Her face was somewhat downturned, but he caught a small, pleased smile that turned up the corners of her mouth. He tightened his hands into fists in his pockets so he wouldn’t give in to the urge to hug her. 

 

“It was um, very sweet of you to pay me a sincere compliment, Tsuruga-san. Even if… things got out of hand.”

 

“I was still a jackass. That doesn't exactly make me sweet,” he muttered, looking away again.

 

“Well, you apologized for that. And, and you weren’t wrong.”

 

He couldn’t avoid her when she stepped closer, pulling at his shirt a little. Her head thumped softly onto his chest, and despite himself, he found himself folding her into his arms for a hug. He felt a curious sense of contentment when she just hugged him back. 

 

“Wrong about what?” He asked quietly.

 

“I did overreact due to a lack of experience. Now having...experienced something like that, I’ll be able to react better in the future,” she mumbled into his shirt.

 

Embarrassment leaked into her voice when she spoke again, “I’ve always been…um, curious, about uh, how hands on that part of me would feel, and I really need to apologize for being, being so shameless, Tsuruga-san. It felt so nice and, and, I’m sorry for being shameless!”

 

Her brutal honesty left him as dazed as her bold confidence from earlier. Some other, more coherent part of his brain filed that tidbit of very important information away for later use, while she kept apologizing into his chest. He dared a quick look down, and saw that her poor face was bright red. No wonder she was trying to hide her face. They stood there for a long moment, both attempting to regain their composure.

 

She stepped away some time later and said, “Thank you for being nice Tsuruga-san. And for...um, well, not making fun of me. If you wanted to know, you've successively made me flustered.”

 

He certainly hadn't planned to have that happen. She'd surprised even him with her own bold behavior. Ren stared as she blushed again, and tried his best to force words past his uncooperative lips, “Thank you for putting up with me this evening Mogami-san. I admire your fortitude.”

 

A small, amused snort escaped Kyoko, and Ren swallowed hard.

 

“Well, shall I get you home?” He did his best not to croak out the words, but he was pretty sure his voice failed him there in the middle.

 

“Oh, but the dishes-”

 

“No need to worry!” He hastened to assure her, “They'll be dealt with. We need to get you home. You need to rest well for tomorrow. We’ll be on set again together, right? You wanted to see Katsuki after all.”

 

She blinked at him, seemingly befuddled by his rushed explanation. 

 

“Yes, you’re right,” she said with another sweet smile, “As usual Tsuruga-san, you think of everything. I’ve got lots more to learn, huh?”

 

“Whatever you say, Mogami-san,” he replied. 

 

He certainly wasn't going to argue. His nerves were raw beyond imagining, and he could only feel pathetically grateful that she was allowing him to take her home. Kyoko's fierce, demanding expression from just a few moments earlier struck him again just then, and he squeezed his hand into a tight fist to stop himself from reaching out towards her, as she brushed by him to pick up her shoes. 

 

_ Dangerous _ , his mind whispered, even as the rest of him only wanted her more, and more, and more.  _ Dangerous _ , his brain helpfully repeated itself. And Ren, hating himself even as he agreed, ever so carefully, rebuilt all the walls she’d just smashed through. 

 

As Kyoko turned back to look at him, a cheerful smile on her face, Ren smiled back at her. Regardless of the rest of it, Ren wondered if she knew she'd won their curious little game of chicken. 

 

**_fin._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There were a few things I wanted to challenge myself to do with this: stay entirely in one setting, stay completely in Ren's perspective, and HOLY SMOKES, write something to satisfy my frustration with the end of Kyoko and Ren's playacting they did that night. IT'S BEEN more than TEN YEARS since I read that part of the Katsuki arc, and how they just cut it off at Ren saying "I can do it." has bothered me EVER SINCE.
> 
> Anyhow, thanks for your guys' feedback so far. I hope you all are enjoying KyokoRen week!
> 
> Regards, artsy


	3. Of Starlight & Twilight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was the possibility of darkness that made the day look so bright. -Stephen King  
> Prompt 'Star' for the last day of KyokoRen Week 2018.

Once upon a time, deep in the Fae Realm, the Light Queen and the Dark King created Dawn and Dusk. Dawn and Dusk didn’t often meet, as their duties kept them busy and neither often needed the other’s help. However, twice a year, they held gatherings. Dawn’s gathering got the name The Shortest Night, for her exuberance in arriving. Dusk’s was named the Longest Night, for the long, fervent speeches that Dusk spouted that made his courtiers wonder if the night would ever end. 

 

The fairies and spirits that attended these events came from all over, and from all disciplines. The Water Spirits were always moving, their clothes glittering like droplets in the light. The Wind Spirits roamed about freely, dashing hither and yon as their impulses took them. Earth and Fire Spirits remained more grounded, and danced about, intermingling with whoever were interested in joining in. Spirits and Fairies alike could be winged or not, but as they all moved and danced, each had their own, distinctive ways of doing so.

 

The Animal Fairies often came with their four-legged companions, and let the young ones play as they wished. The Scholar Fairies could be seen in the crowd, postulating theories of how things worked, or speaking of things that happened in the past, often to entranced children. The Fixer Fairies talked to anybody who would listen about how enormously important their jobs were. The Twilight Fairies wore woolen garments, often in muted colors, and could be spotted easily in the brightly colored crowd. The Starlight Fairies were a little harder to spot, except their garments often shimmered with an ethereal, otherworldly light. And on, on, different fairies intermingled and played, and listened to the Very Important speeches from Dusk and Dawn. 

 

On one such Longest Night Gathering, the novice Twilight Fairy Ren, came across a younger, smaller Starlight Fairy. His Guide, Lory, had told him to sit silently while Dusk made his speech, and that he could go exploring only afterwards. Privately, Ren thought this silly, as many other fairies were only barely paying attention. He didn’t think it mattered if he listened or not. This train of thought was broken by one, very loud girl.

 

“No!!! Daaaaru-san!!! I want to stay with you and Maya-san!!!! Pleaaaase!!!!”

 

He turned his head to see a burly Starlight Fairy struggling to keep a hold of a little girl. She was twisting and flailing, her wings beating frantically-small though they were yet, and he was trying to ensure she wouldn’t escape his grasp.

 

“Be still Kyoko-chan. Settle down. Maya-san needs to look after Maria-chan tonight. She’s just been born. You keep riling up the poor thing by dropping bugs on her, and her crying is making the rest of the kids cry too. You’re big enough now to almost need a Guide, I know you’ll be fine.”

 

The girl pouted, “Maria-chan likes bugs though.”

 

Even as she said this, her flailing stopped enough for the other fairy to put her down. The girl sat near the bench Ren was using, and Ren studied her discreetly, out of the corner of his eye. Her hair was a deep black and unruly, but her eyes seemed to be made of molten gold. Mesmerized, Ren wondered absently if all Starlight Fairies had eyes that shined like supernovas.

 

“Thank you for settling down Kyoko-chan, it won’t be long now until we head out. Just be patient for a little while longer please.”

 

“Alright Daru-san. But only if I can help you in the kitchen tomorrow.”

 

The bigger, burlier Daru-san smiled down at her and ruffled her hair, “As you like Kyoko-chan. But only if you behave. And no more bugs!”

 

The Starlight Fairy strode away and silence fell. Ren tried his best to adhere to his Guide’s words, but he found himself too curious after a while.

 

“How are you fairies born?” His voice startled the girl, and she whipped her head up to look at him. Ren was just as distracted by her gaze as he’d been when he first caught sight of it, and he couldn't help but stare. How could eyes glimmer so? It didn't make sense. Color was supposed to be quiet, and peaceful. Color wasn’t supposed to shine like that.

 

“When starlight makes a flower blossom,” she said, her eyes staring at him curiously, “When starlight makes it blossom, another one of us appears in the Nursery.”

 

Ren slid off his bench, kneeling down to get closer to her, “I’m a Twilight Fairy. Each time twilight falls, when both the sun and the moon are out, one of us appears in our Nursery.” 

 

“Wow,” she said, amazed.

 

“I’m Ren.”

 

“I’m Kyoko-chan.”

 

He put a hand out, but she just stared at it.

 

“Oh, uh, we shake when we meet new people.”

 

She shook his hand, “How interesting, we only wave, at a distance.”

 

They waved at each other next, smiling. Ren was still curious though, and asked another question.

 

“Was that your Carer?”

 

“Yeah. Does your Nursery have Carers too?”

 

“Yeah. I’m too old for the Nursery though, I’m being Guided now.”

 

Her face brightened, “I’m about to meet all of ours and get a Guide too! I hope it’s Muse-sama!”

 

“Who’s that?”

 

“She goes exploring to find new places for Starlight to shine!”

 

“Wow! My Guide discovers new places that need Twilight. I’ve learned a lot from him. I hope you get to be with Muse-sama.”

 

“I hope so too.”

 

They shared another smile. 

 

Ren and Kyoko chatted eagerly about all sorts of things, all the way until her Carers came to get her. He smiled and waved as she left, and she shouted back,

 

“Let’s meet again, ok?! Promise!”

 

“I promise!”

 

* * *

 

Ren wasn’t able to meet her again, until six more gatherings, and three full seasonal cycles had passed. When he did spot her in the crowd, her smile was bright and her clothing was a shimmery lavender silk, and he thought the quiet color suited her very well. She seemed to be with a few other girls this time, all appearing to be roughly the same age.

 

“Kyoko-chan,” He called out, hoping she heard him. She turned and looked over shoulder, and when she caught sight of him, her smile seemed, impossibly, to shine even brighter. 

 

“Ren! Ren-san! Finally! We meet again! I’m so happy,” she said, her tone bubbly in a way that Ren had never heard before. She hurried over to him, saying quick goodbyes to the other Starlight Fairies with her.

 

“Are you well Ren-san?”

 

“Yeah. Are you? Are you being Guided now?”

 

“I’m good! And yes! Muse-sama was able to be my Guide. I’m so happy! I have fun every day!”

 

He smiled down at her, “I’m glad to hear it. What have you explored so far?”

 

They sat down on a bench, getting comfortable as they exchanged stories about what they’d explored or what they’d discovered. Kyoko had explored a cave, with holes in the ceiling for Starlight to shine through. Ren had found a type of flower that bloomed only under Twilight, and only briefly. Kyoko had witnessed tsunamis, and Ren had experienced the quaking of the earth beneath his feet. 

 

He felt regret that they could not talk longer, when her Guide and the other girls in her Guide group came to gather her.

 

“Let’s meet again! Promise!” He called out after her, and she turned and waved, smiling.

 

“Promise!”

* * *

 

Ren didn’t see Kyoko the Starlight Fairy again, until he was an established Discovery Leader for the Twilight Fairies. Even then, the odds that they met under those circumstances were so astronomically low, he couldn’t help but thank the Light Queen, the Dark King, and Dusk and Dawn profusely that they’d managed to meet again.

 

He had been out on an expedition, his team back at the campsite while he gathered water, when he saw the shimmering glow of a sapphire-colored dress against the Twilight sky. He stared, put down his canteen on the riverbank, and took off into the sky, his wings beating hard and fast to catch up. Twilight and Starlight Fairies so rarely came across each other that his heart was racing as he wondered if it could be her. 

 

“Kyoko-chan!” He called out. When the fairy stopped and hovered, then turned, his heart thudded hard in his chest. Her hair was longer, and still black, and her eyes still seemed to be made of molten gold. But her wings had grown. She could fly with them now. They were multi-colored and radiant. The glow he had thought came from her dress, actually seemed to be radiance from her wings. She’d grown so beautiful, and she still shone so brightly with color, that he couldn’t look away.

 

“...Ren? Ren-san?”

 

“Yeah, yeah, it’s me,” he managed to get out, his voice hoarse, “You’re out early. Should you be? Were you exploring?”

 

She looked down, noticing a field of wildflowers, and then looked out at the horizon, where the sun still hung in the sky.

 

“I...I think I may have accidentally stayed out all day.”

 

“Oh. Find something interesting?”

 

“Ah...I heard this music...it was beautiful...but...I don’t...I’m sorry,” she laughed, “I must be tired. This is coming out all disjointed.”

 

“It’s ok,” he hurried to reassure her, “I just can’t believe it’s you. I’m so happy we met again.”

 

“Me too Ren-san,” she smiled. His mind raced with possibilities of how to make this encounter last just a little longer. He then thought of what they’d discovered that day, and he caught her hand with his. 

 

“Hey, I’m sorry to bother you with you so tired, but there’s something you should see. It’s back at my campsite. You can rest there, after.”

 

Her face grew more intrigued, “What is it?”

 

“Don’t worry, I’ll show you.”

 

He pulled her along, feeling exhilarated as their flying synchronized perfectly, until they landed gently at the site of where his team was camping out. The others were startled at their approach.

 

“Ren-san? Who is this?” Yashiro-san asked, curious. Kijima-san stared a bit, obviously just as interested. And Hiou-kun, who Ren had been Guiding for a while, set down his rice ball, blushing as he stared at her, and discreetly tried to wipe away the left over rice on his face. 

 

“Her name is Kyoko-chan, we go way back,” He turned to her, having just thought it, “Are you a full-fledged Explorer now?”

 

She nodded, smiling brightly, “Yes! I’m still on Muse-sama’s team with my friends. We didn’t want to take separate paths, not just yet.”

 

The others piped in with some other questions, but Ren waved them off,  “Ask later you lot, come on Kyoko-chan, we have to see this before the last of the sun sets.” 

 

He crouched down to grab at his belt pouch, which had been laying next to his dinner plate. He stood swiftly once he had it, and tugged at Kyoko’s hand again so she followed him to the river, where you could still see the sun past the forest of the trees. He turned to her, upending the pouch into her cupped hands once they reached the riverbank.

 

She stared at it for a second, “...it’s a rock.”

 

“Yes, yes it is.”

 

“Does...does it float or something?”

 

He laughed, “Hold it up to the light Kyoko-chan.”

 

She sent him a skeptical look, but did so.

 

“...It’s a very pretty blue rock,” said Kyoko.

 

He stepped behind her, smothering another laugh, and held her hand with his own, so he could adjust the tilt of the rock himself, “Yes. It is. And then, when the light hits juuuust right, and there!”

 

Kyoko gasped, amazed, “It changed color!”

 

Ren stepped back, smiling at the delight in her features.

 

“How is it doing that?!”

 

“Magic,” he replied, grinning as she turned to him, bright-eyed and enthusiastic. 

 

They strolled back to the campsite a little while later, once Kyoko was satisfied with making the stone change color five more times, and exchanged stories of discovery and exploration long into the night. When everyone had fallen into slumber aside from them, Ren carefully reached out and tangled her fingers with his. Kyoko watched this carefully, then looked back up at him.

 

“I need to return to my team soon,” she said, her face showing her regret as she said it, “They’ll be so worried if I go two days without checking in.”

 

“That’s fine,” said Ren, absorbed once more in wondering if all Starlight Fairies had eyes that shone like hers.  

 

“You’re lying, it’s not fine.”

 

Ren had worked for years, discovering things and places, but he still thought that meeting her might have been the luckiest thing to ever happen to him.

 

“I’m not lying,” he said.

 

“Then I’m saying, it’s not fine. Do you have messengers? We do. I can’t believe we never thought to do it before, but surely we can do that? That way we don’t go so long without meeting again?” She studied him and Ren could only smile, helplessly enchanted by her fierceness. 

 

“Yeah, we have those too. Whatever you want. I promise.”

 

Her cheeks pinked and she cast her gaze downwards in embarrassment, her wings rustling behind her in a nervous twitch. Ren thought that was cute too.  

 

Ren had worked for many a long year, and often in quiet contemplation. The one thing he had looked forward to, every night, after the world had been painted in Twilight, had been watching the stars as they came out, one by one. The times the nights were dark, clouds covering the Starlight, he had thought of her. He had thought of her shimmering dresses, the bright smile she so often wore, and the shine of her eyes. 

 

What they had experienced together since he’d caught sight of her in the Twilight Sky, had only proved to him that she was the brightest, most colorful thing he would ever experience. As they settled in to sleep, he thought it over, and over again. 

 

When they went to part ways again the next day, Ren made sure to curl her fingers over the stone he and his team had discovered. 

 

She looked at what he was doing curiously, then looked back up, “What’s this for?”

 

“For you,” he said.

 

Kyoko cocked her head wonderingly, “Why?”

 

“Because it made you smile. And I always want you to smile. Your smile, it’s the brightest thing I’ve ever seen.”

 

Her cheeks pinked again, and his team was loud in their obvious silence as they listened in. Ren didn’t care though. When would this happen again? They didn’t know, and Ren didn’t want to regret not speaking his mind.

 

“I’ll keep it safe then,” Kyoko replied softly as she looked back up at him.

 

“Promise?” Ren asked.

 

“I promise.” 

 

Ren smiled, and Kyoko thought that was the brightest thing she’d ever seen too. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I loved all the fic that got posted for this week. Thanks everyone for sharing!  
> Regards, artsy


	4. Your Song Will Last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another prompt from the Discord server I run. This one's a Treasure Planet Fusion focusing on Kanae! 
> 
> Prompt: Just as sailors shared legends of lovely fish-people, spacefarers reported sightings of 'starmaids', whose beautiful tails tapered off into comet trails.

Kanae had grown up hearing the stories of course. Having grown up on the streets of Crescentia instead of Montressor proper, there weren't many myths and stories she hadn't heard. When she'd first overheard the ship crews talking about it in whispers at the diners when they were in port, she'd been a kid. Back then it'd been scarier.

 

_Don't sleep near the windows while yer out there. The starmaids will get ya. They'll lure ya out into the black, and there'll be no way back._

 

Her siblings had laughed it off when she'd talked about it, and had told her to pay it no mind. They'd said she should pay more attention to the wages they needed to earn that week, and to go out and sell some more ship parts. Kanae had listened, if grudgingly. She needed to eat after all.

 

But as a teen, having earned her place and her keep at Lory’s Space Exploration Academy as a mechanic, she grew more and more curious. She delved into the old texts in between classes where she learned ship maintenance, and searched the archives and the libraries wherever she went. She did her best to learn as much as she could about the stories the spacefarers told. Her classmates told her it was a silly past-time, and a waste of energy. But Kanae didn't care. The legend seemed as if it was burned into her mind.

 

Why were there stories? People would get scared of the black while they were out there and tell tales, it was only natural. And of course the sounds could be explained away as the solar winds pushing against the metal of the ships as they sailed, or the ship exteriors being hit by floating debris. But where did the stories come from? Where did they begin?

 

Kanae was on the RLS Legacy, sailing under Captain Amelia, when she first thought she found a clue. There’d been a mutiny, the ship diverted for Silver’s purposes, and she was stuck in the brig with the others who were loyal to the Captain. And that's when she heard it, the scratch against the window, and a soft sigh. So soft, like leaves rustling in the wind.

 

She snapped her head around, searching the space outside of the port window near her, her eyes straining to see whatever she could. All she saw was the fading of a comet tail in the distance. She blew out an aggravated sigh, and knocked her head back against the metal of wall.

 

“Did you… You just saw it too, right?” the whisper came from next to her, to the other side of the port window.

 

“Don't know what you're talking about,” Kanae muttered.

 

The other girl snorted, “Whatever. You totally saw it. That old myth you know, there's starmaids out there, but you can only tell they've been once they're gone, because they leave behind a trail that looks like a comet.”

 

“You're probably tired and stressed out, it was just a comet,” Kanae replied.

 

“You can keep pretending you didn't hear it, but I saw you. I know you did.”

 

“Whatever,” Kanae said,“You should get some sleep before the mutineers come back. Captain Amelia will need us to retake the ship as soon as there's a chance.”

 

The other girl huffed, but said nothing more.

 

Once the ship was retaken though and everything sorted out to rights, the incident kept bothering her. Something about it stuck out in Kanae’s mind.

 

The sigh that she had heard… It had felt...lonely.

 

…

 

A few years later, Kanae was out spacefaring again, Bosun on the RLS Lightning, working under the command of Captain Kurosaki. She'd long since graduated from her ship mechanic days, and was now more often Bosun on the ships she was contracted to. Having known all the differents parts of ships since she’d learned them as child, she finally felt like she belonged when she walked the decks, learning how they ticked and fixing what needed fixed.

 

This expedition was a little different than most. It was exploratory, rather than a patrol route against the Ironsides, who were the Royal Navy’s long-standing enemy in this sector. Another unusual factor, was the girl that had approached her in the dining hall at the end of their first week.

 

“I'm Chiori,” she said as she held out her hand for her to shake, “We once were under Captain Amelia together.”

 

Kanae studied her, trying to place the face as she put her silverware down. She shook the girl’s hand.

 

“Ah, Silver’s mutiny. The-”

 

“Port window in the brig,” they said together. Chiori smiled.

 

“That was me. You're Kanae right? I saw the listing of crew for the RLS Lightning at Montressor Spaceport, and thought it'd be interesting if I joined up.”

 

Kanae hesitated, but was curious, “Interesting how?”

 

“Where we're exploring, the sector we're in. It's where that old myth started you know. With the first exploration fleet sent out there. It gets forgotten these days, and is typically only known for Ironsides attacks. But I looked it up. Didn't you?”

 

Chiori studied her as she asked this. Kanae, for a split-second, thought that maybe the girl in front of her with her razorsharp smile and the curious glint in her eye, was used to being underestimated. Kanae knew how that felt. It had been a long, arduous process, for her to reach the position she was currently in.

 

After a long moment, Kanae replied, “Yeah, yeah I looked it up. You're in good company.”

 

Chiori smiled.

 

“I thought I might be.”

 

…

 

Kanae and Chiori didn't become friends exactly, not really. They were too guarded, and too jaded. But they became… colleagues of a sort. They had a shared interest in old tales from the very first spacefaring age.

 

“This one text says they lure only men. That's who they'll appear to,” Chiori said, leaning over Kanae’s desk and pointing out the words on the tablet they were sharing.

 

“Well that’s rather sexist,” Kanae mumbled, squinting at the words as she sipped her tea.

 

Chiori giggled, “Obviously it can't be confirmed. But, how could it be true? There's so many genders and I heard the Slitheens, for example, only reproduce symbiotically. They have no gender, as we know it. So obviously, that was probably just added by us humans.”

 

Kanae was nodding along, before she thought of something, “Wait, this is a really old text. This was written by humans. That means humans _must_ have been part of the first exploration fleet.”

 

Chiori straightened, tapping her lip thoughtfully, “You know, I think I might have something on that.”

 

But Kanae was already flicking through her library in her tablet, pulling up and looking through some of her old sources, “Yes, yes they were. We've lost some of the old archives, especially when they were destroyed by our enemies during the War of First Contact, but, but! I did a paper on the RLS Hizuri. Their First Mate Yashiro, he became a Diplomat and historian later, and went around to all of our Spaceport Libraries and Academies, making sure they had a copy of the RLS Hizuri’s Captain’s Log. He said it was important that it never be forgotten.”

 

Chiori looked through the pages, fascinated by what Kanae was saying.

 

“It did get forgotten though, right?” asked Chiori.

 

“It did, but when you're as inquisitive as I am, well, you go looking. It helps that I have an eidetic memory,” Kanae said, her lips quirking up in amusement.

 

Kanae flipped to one of her bookmarks, “Here, this right here, their Captain speaks of what's called a ‘siren song’, like the old, old stories from planet Earth. Their sailors, they talked about being lured to their death.”

 

Chiori mumbled to herself for a couple minutes  as she read through the log, “This captain… He keeps talking about hearing things, his first mate always tells him that he needs more sleep. But… Oh wait, that fades away. He keeps talking about dreaming of a beautiful woman, with golden eyes. Oh funny that...What do you make of it?”

 

She turned to Kanae, but Kanae was focused on the inscription at the beginning.

 

_To those lost to comets, to the stars, and to the black. You'll never be forgotten, your song will last, and be a reminder to all of us that did make it back._

 

“The RLS Hizuri’s Captain…,” Kanae said, inexplicably saddened by the inscription, and finally remembering why this Captain’s Log had always stuck out to her, “He never made it back.”

 

Chiori sighed, “That's… That's a bit heavier than what I was expecting to learn today. Are their travel routes logged in the archives too?”

 

“Should be.”

 

“Think the Captain will let us follow the route?”

 

“Mmm, we can ask the navigator if we can adjust. Our Captain Kurosaki is focused on the what, not the where.”

 

“Well.. It’s not much, but it’s something,” said Chiori.

 

Kanae couldn't help but agree.

 

…

 

Their navigator, Matsushima, agreed to the adjustment in route with little complaint. Like the captain, he was more curious about what they could find, nebulas, supernovas, new solar wind routes for better fuel efficiency, and etcetera. Their expedition was a long one. They'd been contracted for up to three years, and no specific routes had been demanded by their patron, the Royal Naval Academy. The Academy simply wanted information and discoveries.

 

That had been part of the appeal of joining up, to Kanae. She had thought she could conduct a fair amount of research for her own personal reasons while out in this sector. So far, she was making great headway. And having Chiori around, someone who saw what Kanae missed, was a great boon.

 

It helped that Chiori and she had a similar sense of humor, and that they got along. They were like-minded individuals with a quietly burning passion. As much as Kanae and Chiori had been motivated though, some of that fizzled out with no new discoveries or incidents within the next few months.

 

They were into month eight, again in Kanae’s office, when they heard it again.

 

A scratching like a fingernail on glass, and then a soft sigh, like leaves rustling when wind blew through them. They whipped around, staring out the window, only to see the fading trail of a comet. Kanae stared, and stared, her heart in her mouth. But, nothing else came. She sighed, her hands burying themselves in her hair. Chiori slammed a hand against the wall, and cursed.

 

“What's that old saying? It’s the journey? Not the destination?” remarked Kanae dryly as she rested her chin in her hand.

 

Chiori huffed out a small laugh, and collapsed against Kanae’s desk.

 

“A damn siren’s song,” she muttered, “Are we chasing after something impossible?”

 

“I don't even know anymore.”

 

Kanae caught sight of Chiori staring out the window, yearning clear on her face. It plucked at Kanae’s heartstrings.

 

“Why did you start chasing after this?” asked Kanae.

 

“A long time ago,” began Chiori quietly, “A long time ago, I saw this old, old painting. A beautiful woman, looking like she was bathing in stardust and light, surrounded by a glittering blackness. But she herself, it was like she had this brilliant radiance, and it was like she was keeping the darkness at bay. It was so… it was...it was,”

 

“Transcendent?” offered Kanae.

 

“... Yeah. Yeah, that's a good word. It was called _Starmaid_ ,” Chiori said, “And you?”

 

Kanae shrugged, even though Chiori was still just looking out the window.

 

“I was fascinated when I heard the stories. I'd heard them my whole life. And then, then I began to wonder where they came from.”

 

The sat there in silence for a long while that night, wondering if what they were looking for was impossible to find.

 

…

 

They were a year and four months into their expedition when they dreamed of a woman with golden eyes. Kanae woke up, her heart pounding, and headed straight for Chiori’s cot.

 

They said it together, “Did you? Yes!”

 

They stared at each other, beyond thrilled, as their crewmates stirred from their own slumber because of how loud their exclamations were. They hurried back to Kanae’s office, rapidly talking over each other in their excitement.

 

“The Hizuri Nebula, the one we just found yesterday that the RLS Hizuri first found ages ago-

 

“Yes, yes! The captain’s log, it said that the Hizuri captain had his first dream after they found that Nebula-

 

“Right, right, we have to try to get closer-

 

“If we get closer, we just might…”

 

Their voice trailed off as they realized they were still holding hands and talking to each other. Kanae stepped back and released Chiori’s hand, embarrassed and cleared her throat.

 

“Ahem, yes, well, we must inform Matsushima.”

 

Chiori nodded, similarly embarrassed, “Yes. Good idea.”

 

Chiori departed from Kanae’s office, after nodding once more.

 

She mumbled to herself all the way back to her cot, “Dumb, dumb, keep focused, _focus_ …” she groaned a little as she rolled back into her cot. Ruri, in the cot below, slapped a hand on her railing.

 

“Mack on her yet?” she asked slyly.

 

Chiori slapped her hand away, “Shut up. No one asked you to stick your nose in it.”

 

“Yeeeah, sure, whatever you say, Chiori and Kanae sitting in a tree…”

 

Chiori rolled back over and slammed her pillow into Ruri’s face while the younger girl laughed uncontrollably.

 

…

 

Despite the dream, and despite their hopes, their search was halted unceremoniously by an attack from the Ironsides a day later. It was a fast little Destroyer Class ship, and must have a been a scout too far from home. It had been hidden on the outskirts of the nebula, and it blasted the RLS Lightning with every weapon it had once it appeared in their line of vision.

 

“To arms!!! TO ARMS!!!” bellowed Captain Kurosaki, and Kanae rushed to get to her gunner and command her squadron.

 

The RLS Lightning wasn't named _Lightning_ for nothing. Her squadron was in charge of the plasma guns, and they did serious damage. Her team was quick to scramble behind their guns, and Kanae felt a surge of pride at their training. The attack had come mid-morning, and many of them had been amidst a shift change.

 

“Fire!” Kanae shouted, and her squadron did so, amongst loud cursing and hollering.

 

The RLS Lightning was an exploration vessel, but in this sector, they had been given free reign to defend themselves. And Kurosaki was not a captain afraid to do so. The Ironsides came around again for another try at hitting their ship, their engines clearly failing, and their solar sails nearly destroyed.

 

“Fire!” yelled Kanae again.

 

The blast from the ammunition meeting from both ships set almost her whole squadron back on their heels, and they covered their faces from the heat wave.

 

“They caught the med bay!” the First Mate shouted across the topdeck when the Ironsides unleashed another volley. Kanae cursed. They were quick to fire. Their guns must have had less recharge time.

 

“Get Engineering crew to the Medical deck!” roared Kurosaki.

 

Kanae’s heart leaped into her throat as she caught the order. _Chiori._

 

“Fire!” she screamed, “Take out their engines!”

 

She heard Kurosaki yelling out orders to the rest of the crew, and she swore to herself right then that if they made it through, if they took out the Ironsides ship-

 

Her gunners swiveled in their seats to follow the order of the direction, and locked on to the engines of the other ship. She could only stare, her heart racing, as the blue-white color sparked and discharged.

 

In another second, it was over. The engines were gone. The other ship floated, dead in space, with no power. Kurosaki bellowed for teams to gear up to take prisoners, and Kanae took a deep breath to steady herself.

 

It was always quiet on the gunner deck, but Kanae felt the silence, like she never had before. Her pulse was pounding in her ears, and she felt herself trembling.

 

“Bosun?!” she heard Kurosaki yell.

 

“All clear Captain! No casualties here, and no damage! Gunner Deck is clear!”

 

She heard faint cheering from the other decks, and her team looked at each other, shaken. It'd been the first attack they'd had to pull their guns out for, but they'd finished it. They'd won.

 

“Good work everyone,” said Kanae, her voice trembling as she stood and stared out at the viewing window.

 

“There’s something I have to do, I release you from my command for the moment. Get to the Second Mate, and help the other teams if you can.”

 

With that last order, Kanae rushed to the medical bay deck, and arrived with a wave of maintenance and nurse personnel. Her eyes searched and searched for the black-haired girl with the pink butterfly necklace, but kept coming up with nothing. After ten minutes of this, she pulled aside a nurse.

 

“Nurse Chiori, where is she?” Kanae demanded. The other nurse just stared.

 

“I'm…I'm sorry ma'am, she was in here when it happened…they haven't found her yet.”

 

_No. No. Unacceptable._

 

Kanae grit her teeth and shoved away from the nurse and started for the hull breach of the deck. A laser grid was already up along the breach as the ship’s AI deployed drones to start patching it. She kicked aside rubble and tossed it away where she could, falling into the ranks of the maintenance crew, and kept her eyes peeled for black hair and a pink butterfly necklace.

 

As she got nearer to the breach, she caught sight of a glittering pink necklace dangling from a piece of rebar. Her heart dropped to her stomach. She plucked it off, and the chain pooled in the palm of her hand, and she pressed her other hand to her mouth to stifle the sound of sobs.

 

The butterfly shined up at her, and Kanae couldn't help but cry as she looked at it.

 

Her eyes searched for any other sign, any at all as she hurriedly stuffed the necklace into a pocket. It took her several more minutes to realize, that light was shining past the laser grid. A golden light was shining through the pale blue of the grid. Kanae set her jaw, and kicked on her rocketboot propellers. She didn't need an exploration suit just to take a peek past the grid. The atmosphere shield of the ship was good enough that she could chance it.

 

She slipped in between the laser grid, and made sure her hands touched the safety chains that lined the outside of the ship. Maintenance teams always hooked into them when doing work on the ship’s exterior, and they were sturdy enough for her to hook into with her utility belt hook.

 

The golden light seemed to pulse. When Kanae had first caught sight of it, she had thought it might be a malfunctioning homing beacon. Everyone was required to keep one of them, so they could be more easily found if lost. But this golden light… It seemed to permeate everything, and in the cold vastness of space, it seemed…Warm.

 

“Who's here?” Kanae demanded. The golden light pulsed again, and began to take shape. It was a form, three times the size of Kanae herself, and seemed slightly feminine in the curves that began to appear.

 

It took Kanae a long moment to realize a pair of golden eyes was staring back out at her. Tendrils of light, or of smoke, or maybe even of hair wafted around the eyes. And then Kanae realized a cautious curiosity was surging within her that wasn't a feeling that belonged to her.

 

“I'm looking for someone,” said Kanae, growing more desperate as she saw the flickering of the atmosphere shield. She was almost too far out. She pulled back a little.

 

And again, feelings rose in her she couldn't call her own. Then, more clearly, a voice came through. Like something that could be heard through the old radios in the diners Kanae grew up around. Faint, and staticky.

 

_Human. You are human? I know this?_

 

“Yes, human. I'm human. I'm looking for another of my kind.”

 

Images came next, and Kanae managed to make out the image of Chiori. Chiori dangling from the safety chains much like Kanae herself was doing. It must have been right after the breach, she must have managed to have grabbed onto a chain with one of her hands. She saw Chiori’s panic-stricken face and Kanae clutched at her chest as her heart spasmed with pain.

 

“Yes!” Kanae said, “Please, I must find her! Please!”

 

Other images came to her mind, and Kanae saw another round of weapon fire, and Chiori was knocked loose, and she began to float further away from the safety chain and the ship itself.

 

“No! No please!” Kanae cried.

 

Then the voice again, but different.

 

_If this is it, then please, let me be right. Let me be right. Please, if you're out there, save me Starmaid. Save me._

 

Kanae stifled her sobs and the words played again, more clearly sounding like Chiori’s voice.

 

_Save me. Save me Starmaid._

 

The golden eyes looked at her in curiosity as Kanae sniffed.

 

 _You are sad?_ The voice rang through her brain and Kanae winced.

 

“Did you save her?” Kanae whispered, terrified of the answer.

 

The light flickered and Kanae got the distinct impression that the being in front of her had giggled.

 

_Of course. I always save those that call out to me._

 

“Then, please, give her to me. She needs to be inside of our atmosphere shield to live. She needs to breathe our air.”

 

_She is sharing my air._

 

Kanae tried to wrap her mind around this for a moment, then tried again.

 

“Give her to me please. I need her back.”

 

_But she called to me._

 

“And you saved her, and I can't thank you enough. But I need her back. She belongs with me,” Kanae said, trying desperately not to think of the alternative.

 

_Belongs with you?_

 

“Yes. She needs to be with me. Surely you understand. You can't keep her. If you keep her-”

 

_You will be alone?_

 

Kanae stopped, and the golden eyes studied her. Then the being in front of her sighed, and it felt lonely.

 

“You understand right?” asked Kanae softly, a sympathetic heartbreak surging within her.

 

_We need to not be alone. Yes. I understand._

 

Kanae got the impression of hands being cupped together, and before she could understand the mechanics behind what was happening, the being in front of her seemed to be holding a sleeping Chiori in her hands and held her out to Kanae, passing her into the range of the atmosphere shield.

 

Kanae tugged her close, clipping her belt hook to her own to secure her.

 

“Thank you. Thank you so much.” Kanae wrapped her arms tight around Chiori, cradling her head so it rested on Kanae’s shoulder.

 

 _We need to not be alone,_ said the golden eyes again.

 

With Chiori now safely secured, questions erupted from Kanae.

 

“Are you a starmaid? Is that right? Did you come across the Hizuri ship? Do you venture out past this sector? Where do you come from? Why-”

 

Kanae stopped talking again as the light flickered and it seemed to giggle again.

 

_I… simply am... I will always be. I have many sisters, however. We go everywhere we can. We are always searching._

 

“Searching? For what? What do you look for?”

 

 _We search for those that call to us. Because we do not want to be alone._ It, the being, she? She seemed to lean in close then.

 

_Do you like my home? The one before you, he named it Hizuri._

 

Kanae stared out past her, to the orange and blue shimmering light of the nebula.

 

“It's beautiful,” Kanae said softly.

 

_I like to think so. I stay here, for him._

 

Kanae’s heart ached, and she didn't think it all came from her. She blinked tears out of her eyes, and spoke up.

 

“You are familiar with our kind.”

 

_Yes. Your souls sing to me._

 

“We don't live very long.”

 

_No._

 

“I...I’m...sorry,” said Kanae, tears falling down her cheeks.

 

The light flickered again.

 

_What is, is. We were happy. He called to me. We sang together. We explored together. We were happy._

 

 _“_ And now? You will still stay, even now?”

 

_It is my home, after all._

 

“Aren't you… don't you want to see other places?”

 

_Maybe… Maybe, maybe one day I'll keep going. But my home is beautiful. Don't you think so? We found a beautiful home._

 

“Yes, yes. It’s beautiful,” said Kanae softly, her voice thick with unshed tears.

 

She felt Chiori stirring and she woke with a quiet moan. She blinked up at Kanae, and as Kanae looked down at her, she thought she might get it a bit better then.

 

“I found her,” Chiori whispered.

 

“You did. Good girl, Chiori. Good girl,” Kanae hugged her tightly to her once more. Chiori smiled, and looked around at the golden eyes again.

 

“Thank you Starmaid.”

 

_You are welcome._

 

“We need to help the Captain, and we need to get you back into med bay. Make sure you're alright,” said Kanae firmly, refocusing on what mattered more, which was making sure Chiori was ok.

 

Kanae tugged them back, her boots helping to propel them, and the golden eyes stared after them.

 

Chiori piped up before they could reenter their ship.

 

“The Hizuri’s captain. He named your home. Did he name you too?”

 

The being seemed to smile at them again.

 

_He named me Kyoko._

_…_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update incoming for Halloween '18! :)


	5. Phantom Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt was to choose words from the following: autumn, skipping, mask, black cat, sunset, waiting, spooky.
> 
> It turned into a Halloween thing. ;)

It was one of those nights where Ren had gotten tired of sitting around a cold, barren apartment, and had ventured forth to try his luck with one of the more private bars he knew. Sunset had long passed him by, and he was trying to head off the poor mood he felt coming on. Sometimes he was able to trick his temperament into leveling out if he did something outside of his ordinary routine. As much of a workaholic as he was, he could be just as much a homebody, so going out rather than staying in, tended to be helpful.

 

Not for the first time, did he regret his unmistakable features. As soon as he entered the establishment, followed by a blast of chilly autumn air, he had to explicitly instruct his hostess to seat him in a discreet corner. And, as soon as Ren acquired his beverage of choice, he made sure to request that he not be bothered. 

 

Bars had people in them. They had music playing, and sports matches on silenced television screens, and people laughing and talking. They had  _ noise _ . Even if Ren sat alone and unbothered, he could observe, and not be stuck with the melancholy of his own thoughts. 

 

It did appear to be working in that regard. Ren was diverted from his own internal bullshit as he watched a nearby couple lean towards each other and speak in hushed tones, their faces alight with fondness. He smiled as he witnessed such a sweet thing, and noticed a group of guys razzing each other and hollering about whatever soccer match was on the tv on the opposite wall. But what made him pause in his observations, was the older, elegantly dressed couple across the bar, whose heads were close together, who appeared to be video-chatting with someone on the phone. Ren's interest was piqued, and he strained to hear what they were saying, but only caught a few words. 

 

“...it’s ok! We’ll meet…”

 

A pause, then the older man responded, “Your mother’s right! We can skip tonight, and meet when…”

 

His words faded out, and there was another lull, and then the woman spoke up, “You’re our son! Of course we’ll do what…”

 

Ren sat back in his seat, an aggravated breath blowing out of him. Lips pursed, and frowning down at his drink, he deliberately ignored that couple, and downed the drink. He turned his attention back to the younger couple nearer him. But when the young woman shifted under the bar’s lighting, her hair turned a little too auburn for him to continue to ignore what was actually on his mind. 

 

Ren bit his tongue on an expletive before he let it leave his lips. He stood and exited, tossing a tip down on his table as he left. The bar  _ had _ been a good idea. Not so much now.

 

He wandered through the city streets for a while, doing his best to shake himself out of his mood. It was a crisp, clear night, and he inhaled deeply, catching the scent of fried meat and sweets mixed with the musty smell of dry, fallen leaves. The streets were quieter than he expected, and Ren realized that he’d gone out at a far later hour than he’d originally thought.

 

Ren regretted it for a moment before he scoffed to himself. Who was he kidding? He’d be tossing and turning if he’d tried to get to bed at a reasonable hour anyway. 

 

A sharp yowl diverted his attention away from the trees and the night sky, and he caught sight of a shadow darting out of an alley, followed by the sound of scrabbling claws against the pavement. He blinked, and looked closer. There was a black cat in the alley, and as he looked back at what had darted out, he saw the fluffy tail of a squirrel darting down the street towards another alley a block away.

 

Ren found himself snickering at the picture of a cat defending its territory from something so harmless. Still chuckling, he stepped closer, as casually as he could, and leaned his back against the brick of the building behind him. Very carefully, he didn’t look over to the cat for a good two minutes, letting it lick its paws and clean its whiskers. The irony of his caution in this moment did not escape him, and a rueful smile passed over his face.   

 

“Always so careful, aren’t you?” He muttered to himself, and dared to glance back at the cat. 

 

To his surprise, the cat simply stared back, its big gold eyes studying him, head cocked to one side. Also to his surprise, he saw that the cat wasn’t entirely black. A big white patch covered the right side of its face, and there was a patch of white on its chest. It was, Ren thought in amusement, not unlike a mask that would be made for the lead in Phantom of the Opera.

 

“Sorry cat, you’re officially Phantom now,” he murmured down at it. He knew Kyoko would undoubtedly agree should she hear about it, and resolved to let her know.

 

He slid down the wall, simply looking at the cat out of the corner of his eye, and saw an ear twitch. He snorted and tapped his fingers quietly against the paved sidewalk to distract the cat, while he carefully fished his car keys out of the pocket of his blazer.

 

Slowly, ever so slowly, he lifted the hand with his car keys, and raised it above the cat’s eye line, then let them drop so they jingled as they dangled from his grip. The cat immediately popped back up on all four paws and stepped closer. Ren smiled, and shook them again, so they would make more noise. 

 

The cat crouched, whiskers and tail twitching, and moved a little closer. After a long moment, Ren shook them again, chuckling as the cat jumped closer, front paws raised to bat at the keys.

 

“Hey, you’re not that scary, are you little Phantom?” 

 

The cat cocked its head as he spoke, the gold eyes darting between the keys and Ren. Ren moved the keys again, and a paw flashed out, catching it. Ren snickered and raised them higher, and both paws came out to bat at them again.

 

“Nah, you’re not that scary at all. It’s nice to meet you. My name is Ren.”

 

Ren thought it might have looked a little dumb, talking to a cat and shaking its paw, but sometimes, well, sometimes it was okay to be a little dumb. And maybe, considering its friendliness, maybe the cat was a bit lonely too. Ren sighed as the cat twitched its whiskers, and spread out the pad of its paw in the palm of his hand, the claws digging in, then releasing. 

 

“Hey Phantom, want to spend a night somewhere nice and warm?” Ren asked, his heart melting as the cat stood on its back paws to nose around his hands. 

 

Ren waited a moment, wondering if the cat was just hungry and could smell the dinner on his hands. But then it butted its head against his hands again, and when he went to scratch it behind its ears, a soft purr began to emanate from its body. Ren scooped up the cat, and stood, rubbing his face against the cat's.

 

“That answer is good enough for me little one.”

 

And he walked back the way he came, a new friend safely tucked into his arms. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words used: sunset, autumn, black cat, mask, waiting
> 
> Happy Halloween everyone!!


End file.
